FAQS

1. 1. What are the prices of the printers?

LX500: $1295 (MSRP)
LX500c: $1395 (MSRP)
RX500: $2495 (MSRP)
LX600: $1895 (MSRP)
LX610: $2495 (MSRP)
LX910: $2695 (MSRP)
LX3000: $2995 (MSRP)

1. 1. How much are the ink cartridges?

LX500/LX500c/RX500: the single cyan/magenta/yellow (CMY) cartridge is $54.95.
LX600/LX610/LX910: the dye-based single, ultra-high capacity cyan/magenta/yellow (CMY) cartridge is $74.95, and the pigment-based single, ultra-high capacity CMY cartridge is $76.95.
LX3000: Dye and Pigment print heads are $74.95 each. The three color ink tanks are $64.95 each. You can save money by purchasing a multipack (one of each CMY) for $189.99.

1. 1. What are the main differences between the five label printers?
      • Label Width:

LX500/LX500c/RX500 will print on a label from 0.75” (19mm) up to 4.25” (108mm) wide
LX600 will print on a label from .5” (13mm) to 5” (127mm) wide
LX610 will print on a label from .5” (13mm) to 4.1” (104mm) – die-cutting and .5” (13mm) to 5” (127mm) – pre-die cut
LX910/LX3000 will print on a label from 0.50” (13mm) up to 8.25” (210mm) wide; minimum liner width is 1.5” (38mm) and can be up to 8.375” (213mm) wide

1. 1. • Label Length:

LX500/LX500c/RX500 will print a label from 0.75” (19mm) up to 24” (610mm) long
LX600/LX610 will print on a label from 0.5” (13mm) up to 12” (305mm) long
LX910/LX3000 will print a label from 0.50” (13mm) up to 24” (610mm) long

1. 1. • Ink Cartridges:

LX500/RX500 utilize a single Cyan/Magenta/Yellow (CMY) ink cartridge that combines colors to make a process black.
LX600/LX610/LX910 use a single, ultra-high capacity CMY ink cartridge for dye for vibrant prime labels, and one for pigment that possesses UV- and water-resistant qualities.
LX3000 has separate CMY ink tanks in both dye and pigment inks. You also save money on ink since only the tank that runs out of ink needs to be replaced.

1. 1. • Label Rolls:

LX500/RX500 have a 2” (51mm) core with label roll Outside Diameter (OD) of 5” (127mm).
LX600/LX610/LX910/LX3000 have a 3” (76mm) core with an OD of 6” (152mm).

1. 1. • Speed: (Expected throughput for an 8 hour work day.)

LX500/RX500 – 500 to 1000 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) prints per day
LX600/LX610 – Up to 3000 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) prints per day
LX910 – 3000 to 5000 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) prints per day
LX3000 – 5000 to 7500 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) prints per day

1. 1. What is the average cost per label?

It depends upon the amount of coverage and the colors used in your design. If you’d like to know your specific cost per label, please send a high resolution .jpg of your actual label to sales@primera.com, specify the printer you would like us to test, and we’ll run a test through the printer’s software to give you a very close approximate cost. We can also provide this general information:

LX500/LX500c: at 50% coverage on a 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) label at default print resolution, cost per label can range from $0.05 to $0.10.
RX500: at 50% coverage on a 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) label at default print resolution, cost per label can range from $0.05 to $0.10. With the addition of a RFID inlay, the cost will vary.
LX600/LX610/LX910: at 50% coverage on a 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) label at default print resolution, cost per label can range from $0.03 to $.07.
LX3000: at 50% coverage on a 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) label at default print resolution, cost per label can range from $0.005 to $.03.

1. 1. How many labels can you print per ink cartridge or set of ink carts?

It depends upon the amount of coverage and the colors used in your design. If you’d like to know your specific cost per label, please send a high resolution .jpg of your actual label to sales@primera.com, specify the printer you would like us to test, and we’ll run a test through the printer’s software to give you a very close approximate number of labels per design. We can also provide this general information:

LX500/LX500c/RX500: at 50% coverage on a 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) label at default print resolution, you’ll get about 600 to 800 labels per ink cartridge
LX600/LX610/LX910: at 50% coverage on a 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) label at default print resolution, you’ll get about 1300 to 1800 labels per ink cartridge
LX3000: at 50% coverage on a 4″ (102mm) x 3″ (76mm) label at default print resolution, you’ll get about 7000 to 8500 labels per set of ink tanks

1. 1. Which printers offer a built-in label cutter?

LX500c has a guillotine-style cutter built-in, while LX600, LX910 and LX3000 both offer a built-in “pizza-wheel” style label cutter. LX610 has a built-in die-cutting knife blade for cutting labels into custom shapes and sizes. LX610 also has a built in “pizza-wheel” style cutter.

1. 1. What operating systems do these printers support?

LX500/LX500c: Windows 7/8/10+ or MacOS 10.11+
RX500: Windows: 7/8/10+
LX600: Windows 7/8/10+ or MacOS 10.11+
LX610: Windows 7/8/10+ or MacOS 10.11+
LX910: Windows 7/8/10+ or MacOS 10.11+
LX3000: Windows 7/8/10+

Regarding Windows XP and Vista, our printer drivers will likely still work. However, since Microsoft has ceased support for XP and Vista, we have no choice but to also no longer support XP and Vista. If you choose to use one of these obsolete operating systems, you do so at your own risk.

1. 1. What is the highest resolution each printer is capable of printing?

Native print resolution is 1200 dpi. All can print up to a maximum of 1200 x 4800 dpi, although 1200 x 1200 and 1200 x 2400 settings are usually preferred since they print faster.

1. 1. Do the printers come with software to design my labels?

Yes, they come with a basic design program for Windows called BarTender UltraLite. LX610 does not include this software, but you can download Bartender for free on their website. It allows you to import graphics, logos, etc. and add things like bar codes. You can also design your labels in a full-featured design program, save them as high-resolution .jpg, .tiff, .bmp, .png or .pdf files and use our software to arrange them onto your label stock and print. Or, you can print directly out of your own graphic design software such Adobe® Illustrator® as long as that software allows you to change the page sizes to the sizes of your labels.
For Mac, we don’t include software since most Mac users prefer to print directly from programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. If you are not a designer, an easy to use software package we recommend for Mac is Label LIVE software. You can download a free trial on our website.

1.  Does any software come with the printers?

Yes. LX610 comes with Primera’s PTCreate Standard software for Windows. PTCreate Standard allows you to import images and cut a variety of label shapes. PTCreate Pro is available for an additional purchase and works with both Mac and PC. PTCreate Pro allows printing and cutting of contour shapes. All other Primera inkjet desktop label printers come with Windows software called BarTender UltraLite. It’s an easy to use, very helpful tool that helps you to layout your designs onto the correct label sizes and then print them. For RX500, you must upgrade to BarTender Professional or higher for RFID functionality.

1. 1. Does the printers do bar codes?

Yes, for Windows users they come with BarTender UltraLite software, which includes just about every type of bar code used in business and industry worldwide, including 2D bar codes. LX610 does not include this software, but you can download Bartender for free on their website.

1. 1. Are the labels waterproof?

We hesitate to use the word “waterproof,” but several of our label substrates, when printed onto by LX600, LX610, LX910 and LX3000 with pigment inks, are highly water-resistant. We do not recommend LX500/RX500 for labels that will be exposed to water. The black on LX500/RX500 is made by mixing cyan, magenta and yellow. That much ink saturation can smear when it gets wet no matter which label stock you use.
It is important to match the right substrate for your particular application. This is especially true for water-resistance. Before ordering a large quantity of blank labels you should try out some printed labels on your products in the environment in which they’ll be used. In general, we suggest a synthetic substrate for high-humidity or wet environments. Vinyl, BOPP and polyester label stocks are ideal.
The most water-resistant substrate we sell is the clear and white polyester labels. However, they are also the most expensive. Vinyl and BOPP are great alternatives but again should be tested before ordering a large quantity of blank labels. Vinyl is also ideal for very small or irregularly-shaped containers since it is very soft and conformable. For applications where water isn’t a concern, our TuffCoat Gloss White paper labels perform exceptionally well and are affordable, too.

1. 1. How long will my images last?

All inks, whether dye or pigment, will begin to fade over time. Dye ink generally is recommended for indoor use on products that will be consumed in less than a year. If exposed daily to direct sunlight or bright indoor lights, dye inks can start to fade in a number of months. Dye inks deliver the best range of bright, vibrant colors so they are usually preferred over pigment ink for products that go onto food, wine and other consumable products. Pigment ink has superior UV resistance. Primera’s pigment inks have been tested outdoors for more than a year with little noticeable fading. Pigment ink is usually selected if many years indoor or up to two years outdoor life is required with little fading. Labels printed with pigment ink will be slightly less vibrant, so are usually selected for more industrial-types of projects such as GHS labels, tags, photo ID badges, bin labels and much more.

1. 1. Do I have to buy my labels and ink from you?

Continuous label stock for LX610 (used for digital die-cutting) must be purchased from Primera or one of its resellers. This material is chipped and perfectly matched with the printer for digital die-cutting. Any inkjet coated label material for pre-die cut labels may be used. For all other Primera desktop label printers, you are free to purchase them from anyone you choose. Labels just need to be coated for aqueous inkjet printing. For non-Primera labels, you’ll see varying levels of water-resistance, gloss and other characteristics. Remember to always test first! Our ink carts are designed specifically for our printers. So, you won’t generally find them at brick-and-mortar retail stores. However, thousands of online resellers have them in stock, as does Primera’s e-commerce site www.primera.com.

1. 1. Are your ink cartridges refillable?

No, they are not. They are designed and manufactured for one-time-only use.

1. 1. Are any of your printers wireless?

LX3000 does not have built-in wireless but can be made into a wireless printer with a low-cost to Ethernet to Wireless adapter. Customer Care reps can email you a list of currently-supported 3rd-party adapters.

1. 1. Do you offer any financing?

Yes! We have a relationship with PayPal where our products now qualify for their “Bill Me Later” program. It works like this: we write up a proforma invoice for your purchase. You submit it to PayPal for approval. Once approved, you can purchase the equipment from us and get 6 months of interest-free financing. The down-payment amount and monthly payment amount is figured out between you and PayPal. You’ll need to either already have or open a new PayPal account to use this financing.